suffruticose; stems branched, glabrous or nearly so; leaves ovate, acuminate, shortly mucronulate, 1–2 in. long, 5/8–1 1/4 in. broad, rounded or cuneate at the base, more or less hairy on both sides; nerves conspicuous beneath; petioles 1/4– 3/4 in. long, slender; spikes 1–4 in. long, 1/2 in. broad, often interrupted near the base, the lower clusters forming opposite subglobose fascicles; bracteoles of fertile flowers 2 lin. long, 1 lin. broad, ovate, acute, concave, sometimes hooked, scarious, hairy on the upper part of the midrib at the back; bracteoles of sterile flowers exceeding the perianth, hooked; perianth of fertile flowers 2 1/4 lin. long; sepals subequal, the inner 3 very slightly narrower than the 2 outer, oblong-lanceolate; perianth of sterile flowers with 2–4 short hooked rigid spines; filaments of anthers reaching 1/4 lin. long; staminodes shorter than the filaments, subquadrate, laciniate at the apex; seeds 3/4 lin. long, rounded at both ends, oblong, light brown. null
